City of Santa Clarita, Acton, Agua Dulce and city of San Fernando officials have called an emergency community meeting to discuss the high speed rail project.

The meeting is scheduled to be held Monday, April 27 at 7 p.m. at the Canyon High School gym and is open to the public.

Called by the city of Santa Clarita officials, the meeting is being held to help prevent the siting of a high speed rail project through existing homes, churches and schools.

State Assemblyman Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, posted this picture to Twitter. Wilk, along with Santa Clarita City Council members, has been openly against the High Speed Rail Project

The State project, led by the California High Speed Rail Authority, aims to build a high speed rail system that will connect San Francisco to Los Angeles at speeds up to 200 miles per hour.  The local route, which will impact communities along the SR 14 corridor, is planned from Burbank to Palmdale.

Two of the Authority’s proposed alignments targeted for further study could result in the removal of two elementary schools, a church and homes in the Santa Clarita, Acton, Agua Dulce and City of San Fernando areas.

A third alternative would completely bypass existing neighborhoods and it is this “east corridor alignment” that the Santa Clarita City Council supports.

“We want to send a message to the California High Speed Rail Authority that the east corridor alignment would not only avoid risking our neighborhoods, but is also more direct and potentially less expensive,” explained Mayor Marsha McLean.

A tremendous turnout at the meeting is needed to help the California High Speed Rail Authority understand the community’s needs.

“We need a great turnout at the meeting to let the Authority know how important this issue is to the Santa Clarita, Acton, Agua Dulce and the City of San Fernando communities.  We are encouraging everyone to attend the emergency meeting on April 27,” added Mayor McLean.

For more information on the Rail Proposal and the meeting, visit the website.